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Fintech Startup List & Category (NIKKEI FINTECH)

The following startup list was provided by "Nikkei FinTech database 2017-2018 publication (Nikkei BP company)" and translated by Fintech Association of Japan(FAJ). Some members of Fintech Association of Japan(FAJ) are included. (These information are as of the end of March 2017.)Please click here for content corrections and updates.

1
AliveCast Inc.

AliveCast provides account-to-account transfers in real time through their application ExOrder, primarily in order to promote regional revitalization by supporting disadvantaged shoppers and local shopping districts, as well as local tourist resorts. By embedding a QR code into brochures, posters, magazines, and TVs, customers are led to a web page where they can purchase products. The benefits that ExOrder offers for financial institutions include a likely increased fee for each transaction, as well as information about consumers when their transactions are processed. Also, the fee for member stores is reasonable, and they receive their profits instantly. For consumers, the purchase could be processed from their bank without a credit card.

bitFlyer operates a Bitcoin exchange whose volume of monthly transactions exceeds 13 billion, and whose user base numbers over 150,000. The company consists of a blockchain angel fund that creates blockchain business and provides training support, and is active in the area of developing a new blockchain to enable the operation of payment service between banks, in cooperation with DTT, Miziho Financial Group, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, and Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ. In April 2016, the company was able to collect a total of 3 billion in funds, the largest amount in Japan. Furthermore, in December 2016, the company announced a private blockchain, miyabi, and is planning to provide Blockchain-as-a-service.

3
BTC Box

BTC Box operates a virtual currency exchange for currencies such as Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Dogecoin, and is offering a lending service with Bitcoin. The fee for a loan is 0.1%. In April 2015, the company formed a partnership with J Trust Co Ltd. as a capital business alliance which aims to expand overseas, where they will contract a new Bitcoin business. Their adviser has held the position of executive board member of the Japan Digital Money Association since October 2014.

4
deBit

deBit provides debit and credit card payment services with Bitcoin that clients can use at registered stores. The service is compatible with 6 legal currencies--USD, Euro, JPY, GBP, AUD, and HKD-- transactioned at the most advantageous prices for users at their location whenever they make a payment. Additionally, the service enables exchanging even non-compliant currencies at ideal rates, so that users can conveniently make payments.

5
LastRoots

LastRoots developed their own virtual currency, cOban. The company is planing to provide a new advertisement business integrating their blockchain/VC. When users see advertisements on the site, they automatically receive cOban. Additionally, the company is planning to provide additional cOban based on users' location. The intriguing part of the system for clients is that the advertising fees/cOban will be covered when users purchased their advertisement products with cOban. The company has been collecting user's data and is planning to utilize it for their clients.

Omise Holdings provides a payment management platform, Omise. Utilizing an API, it can be installed on e-commerce sites by adding a small amount code to the website. It has expanded from Japan to Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore. Whether providing a service for someone across town, or selling an item to a customer overseas, with Links, users can request payment from anyone, anytime. They simply need to copy and paste the generated link to their preferred platform, then email, SMS, Line, Messenger, or WhatsApp the payment link of their product and send it to their customers. It was installed as a platform by over 3000 companies, including a major e-commerce corporation, and an airline company in Thailand. Currently, the company is planning to develop services utilizing blockchain. In 2016, the company was chosen as one of the most remarkable startup companies by TechCrunch.

7
Orb

By utilizing the decentralized cloud computing system Orb, developed by the company of the same name, users can build their own virtual currencies and associated payment networks. Through Orb, the company provides SDKs and web APIs through Smart Coin, which lets users develop their own e-money easily. In February 2016, the company paired up with NTT Docomo Ventures, Orix, ORIX Bank Corporation, and Shizuoka Bank, with the aim of procuring overseas remittance, along with a payment system. The company collaborates with several local financial institutions, and was featured as one of the 10 up-and-coming ventures in "Great Predictions for 2017" by Toyo Keizai.

8
QUOINE Pte. Ltd.

QUOINE Japan operates a virtual currency exchange, QUOINE EXCHANGE, and also provides a virtual currency exchange platform based on blockchain. The company conducts the exchange across Asian countries, making it safe through security that is strengthed by compliance methods such as KYC/AML, and maintained by engineers from financial institutions throughout the world.

9
Arara

Arara provides both stable stock-style businesses, such as e-money and CRM messaging, data security, and a smartphone-related business utilizing AR technologies. Its group corporation, VARCHAR, supports the technology department of Arara by operating the development of commissioned companies, SES, and system consulting.

10
Walt

Walt provides the public β type of Bitcoin wallet service called WALT, which can send remittence with messages to its targeted consumer base of light internet users. The aim of the service is to make it is simpler for users to exchange Bitcoin. Additionally, users can now use Bitcoin at many more places with a newly added prepaid service, WALT CARD, which people can use at Bitcoin exchanges and at some stores.

11
Gracone

Gracone is in the process of establishing a website enabling people to send donations to foreign children with Bitcoin, called Kizuna. The main issue with sending monetary donations overseas is the remittence fee. By utilizing Bitcoin, the remittence fees cost less, for instance, sending JPY 100,000 would cost just over JPY 6000. By spending less for the fee, the company aims to support local communities overseas by connecting donors who can send them more money.

Coin Check provides a Bitcoin exchange service, Coincheck; a Bitcoin payment service, Coincheck payment; and a Bitcoin sales store, including a wallet service. The goal of the company is to provide cryptocurrency exchange for the 9 cryptocurrencies with which the company operates, and to provide an easier user interface for trade beginners. Additionally, the company is active in the implementation of e-commerce websites, with the number of introduced stores now totaling over 3,000. Additionally, the company was involved in the Bitcoin payment business, and with the LP gas provider, Mitsuwa Group, helped form the first Bitcoin payment service in Japan in September 2016. In August 2015, the company announced a capital and business alliance with CERES Inc.

13
Sealed Value

Sealed Value plans, lays out, develops, operates, and maintains a cryptocurrency exchange system utilizing blockchain. The company is planning to develop a cryptocurrency product using paper sources such as magazines.

Janom provides services utilizing virtual currency and blockchain technologies, as well as its consulting service. Their product Coin Gift is a web service used to purchase several types of gift vouchers with Bitcoin. There is no bothersome registration process, rather, it makes it easy to exchange virtual currency into gift vouchers in no time. CoinTip is a nagesen (money offered up by spectators/donations) service operating through SNS such as Twitter, and is co-developed and operated with Serece, Inc. Additionally, the company operates a virtual currency exchange, Monatore, and conducts other business in the virtual currency industry.

15
Digital Wallet Corporation

Digital Wallet's mission is to enrich and cultivate the daily lives of people all over the globe with their e-wallet technology and services. The company provides a service called Digital Wallet. It was established by Mr. Miyakawa, who originally worked at Sony on the Mobile NFC.

Tech Bureau provides a private blockchain it developed, Mijin, as well as a Bitcoin/Mona coin exchange called Zaif Exchange, a Bitcoin/Mona coin ATM, and a Bitcoin/Mona coin payment service called Zaif Payment. The company developed a new core engine, Catapult, and added it to Mijin in order to strengthen connections with the public blockchain NEM. The company also made a business alliance with Sumishin SBI Bank to optimize their crucial banking and business systems. Additionally, the company went into partnership with Sakura Internet, iRidge, Inc., Okwave, and many other companies outside of the financial industry that also utilize Mijin.

17
Bicrements inc.

Bicrements Inc. started operating a Bitcoin exchange, Lemuria, in March 2016. Lemuria adopts a Bitcoin wallet, BitGo, that is rated highly for its security. Trades start from JPY 100, and the quickest time to start a trade is 10 minutes. By simply registering with an email address, customers can start buying-selling with Bitcoin. The company is planning to expand its services, and provide payable plastic cards, Lemuria Debit, and Lemuria Payment, which customers can use to pay in Bitcoin exchange straight at the store, at over 2.7 million shops throughout Japan.

18
Bit Bank

Bit Bank provides the only Bitcoin futures exchange, bitbank Trade; cold chain management of Bitcoin web wallet, bitbank Wallet; and the largest Bitcoin media entity, Bitcoin News BTCN. Bitbank Trade is a twentyfold leverage Bitcoin exchange, and can provide bTCFX without additional warranty money. 1 month after its release, the trade amount exceeded 800 million, and after 5 months, it exceeded 4 billion. Also, following OKcoin, which has the largest trading volume in the world, it provides flowability. BTCN, which the company also operates, is a Bitcoin blockchain media entity.